For the last four months I’ve kept my word for the year at the center of my decisions and I have been learning so much through it. The lessons haven’t been easy ones, but it’s been my experience that the best discoveries come through the hard stuff, so I’m okay with that. My true priorities have become so much more clear since I’ve been making the conscious decision to flourish, and that feels like a tangible reward from all the work I’ve been doing. I’m feeling more comfortable in my own skin too, which is something that I wasn’t even aware I was in need of. I tell ya, it’s amazing what God can do with one little word!

I had so many plans for this space and the things I wanted to share through my journey of flourishing, but it turns out God had a different plan. Shortly after the year started I was given the opportunity to start working as a freelance designer for a design firm that sells products, including faith based art, to national retailers. It’s hard for me to put in words the blessing that this is to me. I love being able to create my own designs and custom work for my clients, but being able to create work that glorifies God to be sold in stores around the country…well, it makes my heart want to explode with joy!

When I first started this new project I thought I could still do it all…take care of my family, run my business, direct VBS, create designs for retail, find new homes for the series, blog, take care of my home, spend time with God…but then I remembered my word, and I realized that was the wrong way to look at it. In just a few months both of my children will be in school all day and I’ll have more hours available, but right now my time is more limited. I want to embrace that fact instead of fighting it, so I’ve decided to take a little break from this space and my Home Made Lovely series, in order to keep blooming in the life the Lord has given me. I’ll still be posting on Instagram, but for the next few months I’m going to give myself permission to let the archives of this space be enough. And I’m going to keep my word at the center of it all, so I can keep soaking in all that God has planned for me.

Hi Heather – what a lovely post. You have an exciting opportunity ahead of you and I think it is good that you have “given yourself permission” to have a break to focus on working with the design firm. As you have said “we cannot do it all”.

I’ve been a reader for a while, but never commented. This post was inspiring. Thank you for your words that make me want to strive to be closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to fulfill all that I’m capable of. Congratulations on learning to flourish! Best wishes to you and your family!ReplyCancel

Amy -April 24, 2014 - 7:11 am

Heather, what a wonderful opputuniy for you! How lovely. You have followed God. And he is blessing you. Thanks for being an inspiration to many of us for a very long time.ReplyCancel

Rachel S -April 24, 2014 - 12:53 pm

I will miss seeing your updates, but GOOD FOR YOU for following what you know is right. And congrats on that new position! Happy for you!!ReplyCancel

Betsy Storey -June 8, 2014 - 9:30 am

I saw your print on the shelf “some days there wont be a song in your heart sing anyways” I have seen this before and cannot find where to purchase it– you see my husband has Alzheimer’s and this is so perfect for me and really would like to find one

Thank you so much for any information you can give me
BetsyReplyCancel

It has been awhile since I’ve stopped by your blog, but it sounds like you have some exciting opportunities in the works! I do hope to see you again more here in the future! You are one of my favorite bloggers and I have gained so much inspiration from your posts. I really love the Home Made Lovely series. It is wonderful to see you follow the Lord’s lead in your business and family! May God bless you in your future endeavors!ReplyCancel

Hello folks! My name is Kelly McCants, otherwise known as Modern June, the Oilcloth Addict. I’m the owner of Modern June, the Oilcloth Addict. My team and I make handmade housewares with specialty fabrics such as oilcloth, laminated cotton and chalk cloth. I’m a pattern maker, designer and author of two sewing books too.

In honor of my second book, At Home with Modern June, I’m going to take you all on a little tour of my 87 year old home that my husband and I moved into almost 16 years ago. When we bought the house it had been a boarding house for almost 2 decades–calling it a fixer-upper, i.e. hot mess, wouldn’t do it justice. What I like best about my older home and my retro style is the act of preservation, taking something sad and turning it into something bright and delightful. My style is just a mix of everything I love–old and new colliding. Deco bedroom furniture dukes it out with the 50’s. 1960’s Danish Modern mixes it up with current pieces. If I were on Design Star I’d call it Retro Eclectic. Fancy, right? Nah, it’s just home!

In, 2011 Hurricane Irene dropped a massive tree on the back of our house. The fallen tree stretched from our backyard, over the roof to the front of the house. The fallen tree was so big, that as it lay on our roof, you couldn’t see our home from the back alley. Do you know what happens when a tree like that is removed? You get lots and lots of home repairs done. Home repairs require new paint, and new paint means make over!

So for the next year I went from room to room, sewing up this and that, all the while writing patterns for each project. Thus my latest book, At Home with Modern June,was born. Come along with me while I show off some of my sewing projects that now update and my little retro home. In the photo above, you see part of my milk glass collection that sits upon 3 very cool shelves from CB2. The shelves were a present to myself when the contractors were almost done. The reno took seven months, so as you can see, I needed/deserved a treat!

In my new book, I walk you through how to make simple cafe curtains to fit your windows. But why stop there? I was inspired to apply a collection of vintage pot holders to my curtains, when I saw a display of these crocheted beauties in an antiques dealer’s booth. A few were hanging on a rack for sale, and I loved the way the light flickered thought them. Hunting for more was half the fun!

My kitchen is filled with presents, handy-downs and found objects. The bread box is the same bread box my grandmother-in-law fed my husband from when he was a tyke. When it came to us, it needed a little bit of love, so I gave it a coat of red paint to make it my own. The Gripstand bowl was given to me by my betrothed many years ago–it came filled with fresh strawberries for Valentines Day. That was the first time I’d ever had strawberries out of season. And my little ceramic apple is a new acquisition.

I am totally in love with old feed sack prints, and large pieces of the vintage fabric can be pretty pricey. But thanks to Etsy and eBay, you can find collections of feed sack fabric in small cuts. These bits of fabric were great to use with my pot holder pattern.

I have a secret, I’m addicted to kitchen linens. Old or new, handmade or purchased, I don’t discriminate. I have about 50 cloth napkins and tea towels that are in constant rotation. I pretend it’s a “Green” thing but I just like them. A lot!

For years I’ve been collecting vintage trays. One day when my hubby was safely at work I went to work hanging them on the large dining room wall. Since we have a picture rail we (the royal we) have a no nail policy! Whatever!

Our dining room table was a real score, my MIL found it at a local shop. She was really surprised that I talked the guy down to 1/2 price–she hadn’t seen how scarred the table top really was or how wobbly the silly thing is. But, it had good lines and it was cheap.

When it came time to take photos of my chalk cloth placemats I finally had a reason to paint the old tired brown table a fresh bright white. What a difference a few coats of paint makes. I also treated myself to the mod blue chairs from Target.com.

I love fresh flowers, just simple bouquets from the local grocery or florist are fine for me. My vast collection of milk glass bud vases are great for daisies. And, the mid-century pitcher that we got as a wedding gift is perfect for heavy sunflowers.

I believe in using what you have when you get a creative urge. Sure, I could go to the hardware store and by the right kind of wood and a can of chalk paint, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I used a big piece of particle board from our shed, a staple gun, and a whole lot of chalk cloth, which I sell at modernjune.com (shameless plug). You can see the how to make your own chalk cloth board at my blog.

The photo above is from my oldest childs last birthday. Sweet 16! As part of her special day, I made strings and strings of the felt dot’s that frame the chalk board to hang in her bedroom.

Here’s a recent project: I found some tiny succulents that I knew would fit into my MIL’s vintage egg cups, where I topped them off with a little bit of sphagnum moss for a more polished appearance.

The vintage tray my new plantings sit on is new to me. I bought it off of Instagram from a great dealer. Isn’t it funny to shop on IG? But hey, I scored a great deal and I love it.

My living room is adorned with fun fabrics, some of which I designed myself through Spoonflower. In At Home with Modern JuneI show you how to make custom drapes and pillow covers. As I write about my furnishings I realize that my Mother-In-Law, Jackie has really helped shape my home. In the 60’s she was the only one of her friends that was into Danish Modern. She was a New Yorker living in a small town in southeast Virginia. You know she must have ruffled some feathers. The cabinet was from that home–I’m thankful that she stored so many pieces and has handed them down to us.

Nothing makes me happier than a good staple project. For the three tables above, I’ve used laminated cotton from Riley Blake to cover the tops of these vintage nesting tables. It’s amazing what a 1/2 yard of wipe-able fabric and a staple gun can do. My 13 year old son uses these daily, so it’s nice to be able to clean them up easily. Really nice!

The antique light fixture in the corner was a Christmas gift from Jackie. She gave it to us when Don and I were first married, my new father-in-law completely rewired it. As you can see, my living room furnishings are not fancy or high end. Between our cat and the two teenagers, we decided to stay on the cheap end. Here, a 1950’s chair from a preschool auction, and two Klippanloveseats from IKEA fill the bill for now. But trust me, when these kids are gone, I’m off to Crate and Barrel for some serious shopping!

Laying on the chair is one of my top ten possessions, a 1970’s crazy quilt that my Grandma (Grr) won at a church bazaar. She sent it to me for Christmas my first year away from home. It’s the inspiration for the quilt I made for the book (see below). We call this the family quilt, if you sick you get to cuddle up in the quilt. If your sad, you get the quilt. It has definite healing powers!!

This laminated cotton pouf is a free tutorial on my Oilcloth Addict blog. This one is made with random scrapes left over from making pretty things for Modern June. I love using up every last bit of fabric. It’s a lesson my Grr taught me when she told me about living though the Depression.

And how silly are the twinkle lights in the fire place? The chimney is a total mess so we can’t use it, so I’ve made due. Someday we’ll treat ourselves to getting the old girl working again.

A mix of new and old prints and signs are in heavy rotation on this wall. Several are Asian etchings from the 1960’s, and the great bird print is from local artist Susannah Raine-Haddad.

I’m a homeschooling mamma, so you know we have lots of books. I recently culled a ton of books and we still have all of this–and these are just the school books! While I was at it, I had fun and color-coded them too. I keep my magazines in the old egg basket at the bottom of the steps. When the basket is full, it’s time to donate.The bottom row of white magazine bins are great for hiding away school supplies. I couldn’t live without them!

My art deco vanity is the first piece of furniture I ever purchased. I bought it right after college in my home town of Kansas City, Missouri, just before I moved to Virginia. Sadly, the original mirror was broken and replaced (twice). Beyond the mirror are more projects from the book. The crazy quilt, pillows and a roman shade pattern are all within my new book.

Here is my very cute son wrapped up in my new crazy quilt. I used scrapes that I had been saving for the last seven years to build this new quilt. Almost all the fabrics were used for making Modern June aprons, so it’s a real memory quilt for me.

My bedside table is filled with little bit and pieces that I’ve collected over the years. This cathedral quilt runner is one of my prized thrift finds. I just love all the bits of vintage fabrics. The cagy handbag was the first thing I bought at Bygones, the best vintage clothing store in Carytown. It cost me $45.00. I was so poor at the time that I had to put it on layaway.

I have started a small collection of bird bowls from Tasha Mckelvey. The are perfect for holding necklaces and hair band and pins that I take off at bedtime. In the studio I have another one (OK, two) that hold dress making pins.

Milk Glass + Fresh Flowers = Love

Here is one of my most favorite patterns from At Home with Modern June! This laminated cotton shower curtain is amazing! It really brightens up the space and has worn very well, I use a plain white shower liner underneath to keep the laminated curtain looking fresh (and clean). I like that this outer layer doesn’t get dirty–it requires very little upkeep.

Also in my new book, I walk you through how to line baskets with laminated cotton. I use lined baskets in every room in the house–they are terrific! If your make up or art supplies make a mess, all you have to do is wipe it clean. Easy-peasy is the name of my game.

We live on this oilcloth cover settee in the Spring and Fall. The pattern for this project is in my first book, Sewing with Oilcloth. Our front porch is the perfect place for a small party and homework.

Hi Kelly! I am a fellow Richmonder and was so happy to get a peek at your lovely home (love all the color and vintage together!). My favorite photo is the bed seen in the oval mirror – I love white quilts and I just want to nap on that bed! I bought a few things from your December Craft Mafia show one year and unfortunately have been unable to make it to any since then (so sad I can’t come this weekend!). But, now that I have seen all the ways you use oilcloth in your home, and that you have 2 books out, I need to fit some more oilcloth in my home Thanks for sharing your home!ReplyCancel

I love your style! I look at these pics and think, yep, I could live there. I love the “Oh…It’s on.” Print. I’m gonna need one of those! LOL And your son! How cute is he!? Thanks for sharing your home!ReplyCancel

Tricia -April 4, 2014 - 11:56 am

Absolutely love the idea of white lights in the fireplace! Never seen that before. Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed your home and realized how much I love pattern.ReplyCancel

Christine S. -April 4, 2014 - 12:34 pm

I’m in color LOVE!!!!! I needed this inspiration today & so happy I found a new blog to add to my color addiction!ReplyCancel

I’m in Texas, too, and so excited to see those lights in your fireplace. Ours works, but it’s never really cold enough here to warrant the work to build a big fire in the gas fireplace. So, until we get gas logs ~ and can just flip a switch (haha!) ~ I’m going to steal your idea and throw tons of LIGHTS all over my stacked and waiting WOOD!!! (BTW, had the mid-century furniture myself yrs. ago ~ sure wish I’d kept it!) Love the oilcloth, too!ReplyCancel

Jan -January 29, 2015 - 5:58 pm

Ahhhhhh vintage Love! Love your home, Love your books, Love your style!!! I want a new shower curtain and will be using your book to make one. Could you share the designer name of both fabrics?ReplyCancel